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Former Twin Carl Pavano has spleen removed

Associated Press

Posted:
01/28/2013 12:01:00 AM CST

Updated:
01/28/2013 10:14:01 PM CST

Minnesota's Carl Pavano scratches his head as he leaves the game after giving up seven runs in four innings against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field on June 1, 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio. It proved to be his last appearance of the season. (Jason Miller/Getty Images)

Carl Pavano's spleen was removed last week after the former Twins pitcher was injured when he fell in the snow.

The 37-year-old right-hander was hurt in mid-January at his home in Vermont and has been in a Connecticut hospital for nearly two weeks.

"He lost a lot of blood. It was very, very serious," agent David Pepe said Monday, Jan. 28.

Pepe said Pavano didn't think he was seriously injured after the fall, then didn't feel well following a workout a few days later in Connecticut.

"He felt bad enough that he went to the hospital and he ended up getting admitted, and they realized he had a lacerated spleen," Pepe said. "They tried to control the bleeding. They did all they could to not take it out and, unfortunately, he didn't stop bleeding and he's been in the hospital since."

Pepe hopes Pavano will be released from the hospital this week. He would not put a timetable on the free agent's possible return to baseball.

"To be quite honest, I think he's very fortunate that he caught this thing. He had the presence of mind to go to a hospital," Pepe said. "It could have been a lot worse. He's just got to get his strength back and worry about baseball later."

Pavano spent the past 3-1/2 seasons with the Twins, going 2-5 with a 6.00 earned-run average in 11 starts last season. He didn't pitch after June 1 because of a strained right shoulder.

After four unsuccessful seasons with the New York Yankees, Pavano went a combined 14-12 for Cleveland and Minnesota in 2009, then was 17-11 for the Twins in 2010 before sliding to 9-13 in 2011.